The Dogs of War
by antilogicgirl
Summary: When two men love the same woman, turmoil often results. Neji and Kiba are no exception. When the dogs of war cry out for blood, whose will be spilled? [dark, angst]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hey you guys. I know it's been a long time. Forgive me. Please take this as an offering of peace, and a promise for more in the future. I am working on the dreaded thesis, and hope to finish it by the end of the month. By the end of March, I will defend it (long, drawn out presentation in front of old crusty academic types), and then I'll only have classes to worry about. Then, I can start writing again in earnest.

**Warnings:**

**Li--**Lime

**Psy--**Psychological

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**Legal Stuffiness:** I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters therein. Kishimoto Masashi, sole proprietor.

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**The Dogs of War**

"Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war."  
--William Shakespeare, _Julius Caesar_**  
**

**Chapter 1: **Break Me

Lounging as he was, he wondered. How often would he have the opportunity to do so in the coming days? The pillows of the enormous futon he slept in were rumpled, the blankets bunched to one side. _She_ was in the bathroom, dousing herself in the shower again. Did she really feel the need to wash him off? He remembered the way she looked just a little while ago. When he made love to her, she was more beautiful than she was in any other situation, with the possible exception of when she killed.

On both occasions, her long, flowing hair would be everywhere, face a mask of serenity. Her mind was never so calm. He knew, better than anyone, the turmoil that was a constant in her head. The door to the bathroom opened, and steam rolled out. She wore only a towel, deep blood red against skin that was pale as porcelain. Her hair was wet, falling in a tangled mass to her shoulders. Pale eyes regarded him, cold now.

"I have to go."

She always said that, as if he didn't know. This was all they had, really. In the night before they left to find those they had to kill, she came to him. At first, he had thought that she loved him. Now, it seemed more like it was a habit. Like biting your nails or twirling your hair around your finger…one of those bad habits that you can't ever get rid of. Her eyes froze him as he lay there, naked in more ways than one, and she could see straight through him to his soul. She always had.

For a moment, he wished that it could be more. He wished that there could be more than stolen nights when she was beautiful only for him. Not for the first time, his fingers played over the fabric of the sheets that she had rested on. Closing his eyes and letting his other senses take over, he could smell her, that newly clean scent moving around the room to collect her clothing. He could feel the movement of the air, the vibrations her footsteps sent out over the tatami mats. She never stayed the night.

When his black eyes opened again, she was fully dressed and watching him. Out of his spite for her, and his love, he said, "Give my regards to Neji."

She never flinched when he did this. Over the years, she had become just as calm as her cousin, the man she'd married. Instead, she simply nodded, then said, "I thought I told you not to talk about him..." It was their unspoken rule. He was not to mention her husband, and she never said anything about how she felt. About how she used him. When had she become so cruel? He could remember the stuttering, adorable girl she had been, willing to help anyone, the pinnacle of everything he considered to be pure and good.

He could hear the dog whining to come in, and he sighed. She was about to leave. The brutal reality of the situation hit him again. He was suddenly very tired of this. "Oyasumi nasai," she murmured, turning to leave. Her hand touched the door, and she paused. He had not said his good night to her. When her eyes turned back to him, he knew she could see through him. She could see how badly he wanted her to stay. Stay until the morning, and leave with him for the latest in a never-ending series of suicide missions. He knew that she could see the hurt, the feelings of betrayal that would never really fade.

Her face was still impassive, those cold white eyes boring into his, freezing him as surely as if the temperature in the room really had dropped. He hated her. He loved her more than life. And he couldn't stand it anymore.

"Sayonara, Hinata." His back hit the futon, the pillow under his head soft and comforting. Closing his eyes again, he said, "See you in the morning. For the mission." He didn't need to open his eyes to see the disbelief on her face. And he certainly did not need to see her to know that here posture was stiffening, her Hyuuga blood taking over. Somehow, Hinata had become just as proud as the rest of them, and she wouldn't take this insult laying down. No, she would not. But he had been used enough for one lifetime. He didn't bother keeping the anger from his voice. "You shouldn't keep him waiting, Hinata. He'll want to lay with you until morning."

Her voice, cold just a moment ago, turned into something he had not heard in years. "Kiba…" She sounded sad. It made him want to hold her. But no. He could not. If he held her, it would never end. It _had _to end. It needed to end. Neither of them got anything but bodily pleasure from this, anyway. She needed escape, and he needed her. All of her. But though that's what Kiba needed, he never got it. Not all of her. She would never be able to give him her entire self. That was something that only Neji had. And the pale man never let him forget it.

Fists clenching in the sheets, he said tersely, "Let Akamaru in when you leave."

"Hai," she whispered breathily, as if she were crying. He didn't open his eyes to watch her leave.

Heavy footfalls and the smell of canine sweat filled the room now, overpowering the faint scent of her perfume. A soft, rumbling whine sounded right next to his ear. "Hey, boy." The enormous dog licked his face. The tattoos that he'd had since he was seven, always sensitive, felt the little bumps of the dog's taste buds as they scraped over his skin. "Ready to sleep?" Akamaru stopped licking him, and flopped down precisely where Hinata had been not long ago. "Me too. Let's sleep. I need to erase this night."

* * *

The door slid quietly open, and Neji pretended to sleep. He kept his breathing even, his body lax. Hinata had come home late again. This time, he knew exactly where she had been. No lies now. He knew now that all of those times when she said she was being briefed for missions, she was really with _him_. There was never a smell of sex on her when she came home from these late night rendezvous. She apparently showered before she returned to him. Tonight was no exception as Hinata entered their bedroom. He could feel the anger rising in his stomach, a hot venom threatening to take him over.

When he cracked on eyelid, he saw her. She stood near her dressing table, removing her clothes. Watching as his wife carefully folded the items and hung them on the back of her chair, he felt the hurt in his chest. It clawed at him. He had always know that the Inuzuka had feelings for Hinata, and that there may have been—at some point—similar sentiment on her part. But that had been all he knew.

The last article of clothing she had been wearing now folded, she reached for her sleeping yukata. He was upon her in the blink of an eye. Taking her wrists firmly in his hands, Neji forced her against the wall. He would make her forget ever being with anyone but him. Her eyes were startled, and when he kissed her forcefully, a small sound came from her that he couldn't interpret. She was never exactly pliant, but when she began trying to struggle against him, he only growled into her mouth and bore down with the weight of his body.

Finally out of breath, he backed away. Releasing her right wrist, his hand found the back of her head, tangling in her hair and forcing her to look into his eyes. "You belong to me, Hinata." Her breathing sped up, and she looked away. "Look at me," he growled, "Look at me, Hinata." When her eyes met his, he saw a light of defiance there. "You are my wife," he said quietly. "_My_ wife…not _his_. No one else's."

"I know."

"Don't lie to me, woman." He pulled on her hair, almost lifting her feet from the floor.

Her voice was dull. "I am not lying, Neji."

"Then why do you go to him?" He was trying so hard not to scream, to make her regret what she had done by force.

"Because he can't hide from me." Neji stopped breathing. Was she saying that it was his fault? That he had pushed her to do this? The thought of another man touching her made him burn with rage. It made him feel powerless. Like he had no control over his life and what went on around him. She was staring into his eyes now, searching for something. What did she hope to find?

Neji's grip on her hair loosened, lowering her to the floor again. "Do you love him?"

Hinata's eyes stayed on him for a moment, searching. Her face did not even flinch as she said, "No. No, I don't."

"Then why? What did I do, Hinata?" As he tried to understand, his hands found her shoulders. Her skin was like silk. Through his anger, he felt the familiar spark of desire forming. He wanted her. All of her. Neji could feel himself breaking apart, ready to fall to the floor in a million pieces. "Please…" He breathed, his hands beginning to shake.

Neji's face fell into the crook of her neck, arms winding around her body. Her voice whispered in his ear, "Break for me, Neji." But could he? He didn't think he could. He was one of the greatest members of a very proud family. Could he do what she wanted him to? Then, the question he really wanted to ask passed his lips before he really thought about what the consequences may be.

"Will you love me?" He felt her stiffen. "_Can_ you love?"

"I don't know." Something inside him broke just then. If she couldn't love him…if she was incapable of doing so, what would he do? It all made him feel like he was less of a man for it. Her hands were on his chest, now, working their way under the white cotton of the yukata he wore. "Neji," she whispered, her voice sounding much more than intimate, "You're crying." Her mouth was at his neck, gentle kisses being placed on the skin there. The touch of her hands made him long for her, so much that he swayed on his feet.

He could feel her hands pulling at his yukata now, "What are you doing, Hinata?"

She paused in the delicate work her tongue was doing on his neck. "Breaking you." He didn't know what to say. So he didn't. He stood there as his wife stripped him of his clothing, and all of his defenses. When she had done with his clothes, she seemed almost to examine him. Her hands drifted over his skin, tracing the faint pink lines of old scars, and he shivered. Neji had never felt so exposed. They had been married for three years, now, and he had made love to her many times. It was not a question of nudity. It was her eyes. It was the way she seemed to see through every wall and barrier he put up, to the very center of him, where all his fear lived.

There was nothing he could do: he could not move. Her gaze paralyzed him, and the situation gagged him. This was the most painful torture he had ever endured. Being skewered tens of times could not come close. Neji's eyes closed as her fingers brushed over a large scar on his chest. It was a reminder of why he had all of those carefully placed barriers around him. But it was all meaningless right now. Hinata's mouth descended onto that scar, and he could feel her tongue tracing the outer edge of it. It was an odd sensation: the skin around the scar was almost hypersensitive, yet the nerves beneath the scar itself were almost dead. It felt strange, and he almost shied away.

Through her examination of him, he became almost painfully aware of what she was doing to his body. It was the feeling of her, he thought. And when she spoke next, his heart nearly exploded. "Neji…make love to me."

"Hinata?"

"Please?" she asked, her breath hot on his skin. His need for her suddenly became too great, and his hand moved to her hair, gripping a handful of blue-black silk, pulling back until her throat was exposed. Neji bent to kiss her throat; he decided to make certain to leave a visual reminder of his connection with her. His teeth sunk into her delicate white skin, and Hinata gasped his name, nails scraping the planks of the wall. The pressure of his jaw did not lessen for some time, but when it did, he sucked gently at the spot.

Once he pulled away from her, he saw it. Just where her shoulder met her neck was a fresh bruise, ringed by deep red indentions. His first instinct was to apologize. On the whole, he was gentle with her, never doing anything to make his wife uncomfortable or feel pain. But this was different. He had to make her understand that she was his, and his alone. The mark on her neck was proof of that. When her leg wrapped around his, pressing her body close, he could feel her heart beating rapidly, her breathing came in labored gasps. In three years, he had never seen her this way. Somehow, she seemed to want him, to _need_ him. Had it taken something like this to make her want him as he did her?

All of his questions died. Neji could no longer fight. He simply gave in. Everything became a blur of movement, sound and sensation. When he finally realized what he was doing, Hinata's legs were wrapped tightly around him while his palms were pressed into the wall, and he moved feverishly, trying to keep his voice down. Hinata was exercising no such restraint. Her normally calm, soft voice was producing moans that were so loud that he was almost tempted to cover her mouth. Instead, he did the exact opposite. Damn the servants, and damn any other family members within a six-kilometer radius. "Scream for me, Hinata…" was all he could manage to say. To encourage the desired result, he pressed her harder against the wall, driving himself and her harder and faster toward the dark oblivion that awaited them.

Hinata's scream pierced the darkness of the room, dying in feral groans and whimpers until she could no longer voice her continued pleasure. Finally, Neji broke, trembling as his orgasm rocked him, sending them sliding to the floor. He felt her fingers trailing through his hair almost limply, and he heard her sigh. Neji could understand. He had never felt so sated, so absolutely content. When he could move again, he laid her gently on their futon. The smile she had on her lips was enough to make his heart full to overflowing. It had been a very long time since she had smiled like that.

His eyes strayed to the mark at her neck. Reaching out, he ran a finger over it. "Mine."

"Yes." She said sleepily, already succumbing to the waves of fatigue that threatened to take him, as well. First, he had something to do.

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**A/N: **I hope you like it. This is the first thing I've written in some time. 


	2. Chapter 2: The War Within

**A/N: **I hope that this is the first of many updates that are owed to the readers. The second installment of "The Dogs of War" is revealing a bit more why Hinata turned into the woman she is. I bow in forgiveness to those of you who have been waiting.

**Legal Stuffiness:** I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters therein. Kishimoto Masashi, sole proprietor. I do not own the lyrics to the song, "The Dogs of War," by Pink Floyd.

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"_One world ... One world  
The dogs of war won't negotiate  
The dogs of war don't capitulate,  
They will take and you will give,  
And you must die so that they may live."_

_--Pink Floyd, "The Dogs of War"_

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**Chapter 2:** The War Within

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The dark was so complete, the quiet so deafening, that Kiba was unsure what exactly it had been that caused him to wake. Akamaru was still asleep. There was nothing moving. So what woke him up? There was a kind of pressure in the room, a presence that was dark and overwhelming. Then, he recognized it. "You can turn on the light, Neji." Light flooded the room, revealing the man he had known was there. However, this was a state he had never seen Neji in: his hair was mussed, clothing hastily thrown on, and one sandal strap was dangling undone. It was, overall, the look of a man who had just had exhaustingly good sex.

Kiba sat up, scowling. Neji sauntered over, a smirk playing over his lips. That was a face he couldn't bear to look at. "Kiba," Neji had knelt by now, pale eyes piercing into him.

"I know." He didn't care. It was over.

"Do you, now?" There was a hint of mocking in Neji's tone. "What is it that you know?" One dark eyebrow rose, lending an amused edge to his question.

This was insane. His lover's—_former_ lover's—husband was kneeling in the middle of his futon, and asking him what was probably the most loaded question Kiba had ever heard. But it was late, he was tired, and he knew that Neji would settle for nothing less than the absolute truth. So, he told him. "I know that you want to kill me." He didn't care. It was over.

"Kill you?" White, impenetrable eyes fixed on his, holding him there as surely as Hinata's ever had.

"Yeah," Kiba shifted, uncomfortable under such scrutiny.

"Oh, no…I don't want to do that." Neji was smiling. That was never a good sign. "I want to _destroy_ you." He leaned toward Kiba, his face now mere inches away. "She doesn't love you." His voice was bland: a statement of pure fact. Did he care? Was it _really_ over?

"I know that." Kiba said, his voice as flat as it could possibly go. It hurt to admit it, but there it was.

Pale eyes narrowed. "Then why?"

The old hopelessness rose in his chest. Why should he tell this man anything at all? Neji was the reason…no. That was not really true. Hyuuga Neji was not the reason why Hinata had become the icy, calculating woman she was. That fault lay with two men: Hyuuga Hiashi, and Uzumaki Naruto. He could still remember the day.

There was a loud commotion coming from two streets over, and Kiba ran toward it, curious. Bodies crowded the packed dirt, pressing close, forward, trying to get closer to something at the mouth of an alley. Suddenly, though, they all backed off. The crowd drew a breath, and Kiba watched the hundreds of people open a path. What he saw was gut-wrenchingly horrible.

_Kiba could still feel the chakra crackling in the air. He could feel the fading signature left by lightening, and he could smell the ozone. That sickly sweet smell was overpowered with another, darker and more metallic odor. Blood. The hackles on his neck stood on end. There were four figures in the alley. Dimly, he heard someone yelling at the onlookers, telling them that they should return to their homes, and their businesses. But his eyes fixed on the limp body on the ground, then straying to the others._

_The blood was everywhere. It had sprayed the walls of the alley, soaked into the dirt of the road, but nowhere was it more evident than on the bright orange fabric that now clung wetly to a chest that was barely moving. Though he did not know what he was doing, Kiba moved forward. His body knelt next to a blonde head, and he looked into glazed blue eyes. Naruto kept repeating the same three words: "He came back…" until he could no longer speak. Then, he seemed to fade in and out._

_A strangled cry came from Kiba's right. Looking up, he saw Hinata and Haruno Sakura, each with a kunai held to a pale throat. Hinata's right hand held the blade, while the other was forcing chakra into their captive's chest. She was looking at Naruto, her anguish plain for all to see, and it was obvious that she would prefer to be with him than be restraining Uchiha Sasuke. Sakura said quietly, "He can't use any jutsu, Hinata. If he tries anything else, I'll break every bone in his miserable body. Go to Naruto."_

_Sakura's face said that not even she could save him. "No." Hinata said firmly, with no hint of a stammer. Her white eyes blazed with determination as they turned to Kiba. "Take him." Kiba did as she said, holding Sasuke's arm in a white-knuckled grip. "If he tries anything, Kiba, gut him like a fish." There was a gasp from Sakura at that, and then Hinata's eyes turned on her again. "Sakura."_

_Green eyes were unfocused, filling with tears. "Sakura!" The tone of Hinata's voice made Sakura jump, but it certainly snapped her out of whatever funk she had been in. "Save him, Sakura."_

"_I…I can't."_

"_You can. You can save anyone. I know you can." Hinata took hold of her arm, pulling her toward the body on the ground. "I can help." _

It had been too late. Uchiha Sasuke had succeeded in doing what countless ninjas, samurai, and demons had never even come close to. He had killed Uzumaki Naruto. Life after that day was never the same for anyone. Hatake Kakashi was beside himself. He was rarely seen in the village, preferring to receive his orders and return his solo mission reports via messenger birds. Sakura, for her part, was the wonder of the village. She grew in strength and beauty every day, earning the respect of the villagers, and of medics from other nations. Her primary duties were, from one month after Naruto's death, mostly dealing with highly experimental research into new medical techniques, botanical research, and biochemistry. Sakura also never gave up hope that some day, Sasuke would come around.

Uchiha Sasuke was confined in the deepest, darkest cell of Konoha Prison. The cell was only ten feet square, a cube of stone that sapped his chakra to harmless levels. He spent most of his days pacing like a caged panther, glancing at the door every five or ten minutes. Kiba had gone once with Sakura to visit him. The young woman was nervous. She apparently did this once every week, but it seemed to have no effect on him. He never answered her questions, or responded when she made statements about the village.

It was, at times, as if the loss of that blonde trickster had subdued the village. The yells of children seemed quieter, the sky was never as blue anymore, and suddenly, Kiba couldn't stand to walk past Ichiraku's Ramen bar. But Hinata…she took it harder than anyone else. She had closeted herself in her room for a month. The only person allowed inside was Neji, who only got in because he threatened to knock the door down once every couple of days. When she finally emerged, she barely spoke. Her face was thinner than he had ever seen it. Any time he tried to talk to her, she spoke only minimally. Again, only by force did Neji get her to return to any semblance of her former self. Eight months later, Hiashi announced her engagement to her cousin, and Kiba's world grew that much dimmer.

Now, Neji was glaring at him. He was trying to bore holes in Kiba's head, just as if there were any hope of doing so. "Why?" Kiba asked, pensive. "Why do you want to 'destroy' me, Neji?" Fuck. He did care. And it would never be over.

"Because I love her."

A bare smile curled at the edges of Kiba's mouth. "So much it hurts to look at her?"

Neji nodded.

"You love her so much that when she's away from you, it feels like someone's ripped out a piece of your soul?"

Another nod.

"And do you mourn every night when you close your eyes…because you can't look at her face anymore?" Neji's eyes widened slightly. Nodding, Kiba went on. "I love her, Neji. I love her so much…I hate her for it." He closed his eyes. "What do you plan to do?"

Cloth rustled, and the air shifted slightly, telling of Neji seating himself fully. "That depends on you." That was something he had been afraid of. "If you persist in this…affair, then it will be war between us." Kiba kept his eyes closed, nodding. He knew that was going to happen. Neji was too proud. He always had been. He would start a war over this. Damn him.

"I don't think that you need to worry about that." Kiba looked away. "It's over."

"Good..." Just when Kiba thought that maybe, he would leave it at that, he was proven wrong. Again. A hand gripped his throat, and a body fell atop his, crushing him to his futon. Two glowing fingers hovered within inches of his face. "Because _so help me_, Kiba," the fingers crept forward, "if you ever touch her again, I'll kill you…and your entire family." One of Kiba's eyebrows rose. Bloodfeud? Was that where this was headed?

Something inside him snapped. If it had been only him, Kiba could probably have dealt with it. But when his family was threatened, that was a completely different story. Baring very sharp teeth in a smile that was more of a grimace, he growled, "Not if I rip out your throat first, Neji. If you hurt any member of my family, I will kill you. But I won't stoop to _your_ level." It felt good, seeing the shocked, indignant look in the other man's eyes. It served him right, as far as Kiba was concerned. Territoriality was a specialty of the canine species, and since Kiba's entire family raised, lived with, and befriended dogs, he figured he had an edge over Neji in that respect. And another thing his family gained from their companions: dogs mate for life.

But…he had to wonder what the rest of his life would be like if things really ended here. Hinata was not really in control of her own feelings, so he couldn't truly fault her, though he knew it had been right to stop it before things got out of hand. Neji, on the other hand…he was one of the reasons why she had turned into the woman she was. Yes, she had grown more beautiful than he could ever have imagined, but that beauty was brittle. It was as if he touched her too roughly, he would break the mask away, and he was uncertain what might lie beneath.

A small tick had developed beneath Neji's left eye. He seemed to be struggling with himself. After a long moment, he shoved himself off of Kiba, baring down on his throat as he did. "Just keep your hands off of my wife, Inuzuka." Neji's serenity was nonexistent in that moment. His eyes flamed, and his expression pinched.

As Neji turned to leave, Kiba said quietly, "Does she love you, Neji?"

One hand on the door, just as Hinata had been hours before, Neji turned, staring at him with a stricken look. "I don't know."

Eyes closing once again, Kiba sighed. "I don't think she can." Something stabbed at his heart. "Not now that he's gone." A kunai flew past his left ear, shearing off the very ends of his hair. Kiba had not seen it being drawn. Neji's face was absolutely livid. Pale was not the word to describe him at that moment. Ghostly would be more accurate.

"Don't you dare bring him up, Kiba."

One of Kiba's eyebrows rose. "Why not? Naruto was the only person that brought out the bravery in her. He was special that way. And he was your friend too, as I recall." When the next kunai flew, he saw it. Catching it by the blade, allowing it to slice into his palm, Kiba got to his feet. The sheets fell away, revealing his bare flesh. Neji was being very careful not to look at his nakedness. Though Kiba was naked, he was certain that Neji felt more exposed. Walking to stand before the taller man, he handed the weapon back. "Be contented with that blood, Neji. Enough."

* * *

Neji slipped silently back into his bedroom, where Hinata lay. The moonlight streaming in leant her face an unearthly beauty, and he stood for a long moment only looking at her. She was so serene as she slept, so perfect, that he feared he might wake her when he lowered himself to the futon they shared. The sheets had worked their way down, and the skin of her back was illuminated, her hair strewn across the pillow on which she slept…he held his breath. Nothing so beautiful was ever meant to last. Not for him.

Every beautiful moment slipped right through his fingers. Her eyes opened, and she watched him watching her. "Come to bed," she said softly, turning onto her side and pulling the covers up to her chest. Neji smiled. Hinata was the only beauty left in his life, and he found himself wanting nothing more than to breathe her in, to soak up her presence and take her into himself, making her part of him until they were inseparable.

Giving a little nod, Neji stripped off his rumpled clothing, tossing the pieces into a corner before sliding into the bed with her. She smelled wonderful as she pressed herself against his side. It was like soap and ginger and the still-raw scent of their lovemaking…which aroused him slightly, but he was far too content with they way they lay to act on it. Sleep took him quickly.

* * *

"_Steps have been taken, a silent uproar  
Has unleashed the dogs of war  
You can't stop what has begun  
Signed, sealed, they deliver oblivion."_

* * *

Hinata rubbed at her head. It had been pounding all day. Her mission with Kiba had been uneventful. Assassination always left a bad taste in her mouth. He still would not look her in the eye. What happened? She was sure that Neji had gone to see him, but farther than that, she was not certain. When they met for their mission, she had tried to touch him, and he shied away. It was never hard to tell what he was feeling. But at the moment, all she really knew was that something was dreadfully wrong. He was hurt. Something made her a bit guilty about that. It was, after all, her fault.

She had been the one to instigate their affair more than a year earlier. In the beginning, it had been quite pleasant. Hinata would go to him, they would have athletic—and at times animalistic—sex, and she would go home. It had been a way to relieve tension, break the monotony. Then, she sensed a change. Kiba grew more…possessive in his touch, more lingering. At the back of her mind, she knew that he had long since fallen in love with her. And in some small piece of her mind…one that was not dead and numb to all feeling…she was sorry. He had always been a good friend. A wonderful shoulder to cry on, a protector and confidante, Kiba would have made the perfect lover, and did. Until three weeks ago, when he had suddenly ended it.

Stumbling over a stone in the packed dirt path, Hinata caught herself on a tree. No sooner was she stilled than a wave of nausea broke over her. She leaned heavily onto the tree, emptying her stomach onto the ground. "Damn it…" That was sudden. Resuming her walk back to the house, she only got fifteen feet before falling to her knees and vomiting again. The heaving of her stomach did not cease this time until long after there was nothing left in it. "Damn it to Hell…"

Forming a seal, she tried to mold her chakra to transport herself to the hospital, but was completely unsuccessful. Instead of the tight, razor-sharp regularity that she had worked so hard to develop, her chakra was instead erratic, sputtering and flickering like a dying candle. Her eyes narrowed. Back to the house it was, then. Stumping on legs that felt like rubber mixed with lead, it took her half an hour to make it back to the main house, where she collapsed on the porch outside Neji's study. The last thing she heard before slipping into unconsciousness was the pounding of feet, and voices rising in panic.

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**A/N:** I know it's short, but there's only so much angst I can handle at once these days. Did you like it? 


	3. Chapter 3: Children of War

**A/N: **Hidey ho. Time for another angst-filled chapter. Oh, how I love it. I hope you will too. Please forgive the long period between updates. Good news: my thesis is now complete. I have graduated. This leaves me with plenty of time to write, and catch up on all of my projects.

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**Legal Stuffiness:** I do not own Naruto, or any of the characters therein. Kishimoto Masashi, sole proprietor.

* * *

**Chapter 3: **Children of War 

The room was quiet. Neji sat in a chair, his legs having gone numb long ago, right along with the rest of him. He clutched at his wife's hand as she lay unconscious on the bed. For what had to be the hundredth time since he found her collapsed outside his door, he looked at her face. It was pale, and she looked almost as if she had a fever. He knew that she didn't have one, though, because he checked five times. What he now wanted to know was where in the seven hells that damned Tsunade was. Hanabi had run off in search of the Hokage, who was the only person Neji trusted to treat Hinata, but had yet to return. From what Shikamaru had told him on numerous occasions, the woman could be very hard to find when there was paperwork to be done.

Neji lifted a hand and stroked at Hinata's hair. "Don't worry…everything is going to be all right." He wasn't exactly certain if he was saying that to himself, or to his sleeping wife. There was a knot of anxiety in his stomach, and it didn't look like it was going to go away any time soon. His mind swam as memories, fears and hope for the best warred with one another, and he let out a groan. His eyes glanced up at the wall clock. It had been two hours since he had found her.

The silence bore down on him, oozing into his ears and filling them the way warm liquid wax would. It was deafening. The only sound he really heard was that of his own heart, pounding in his ears so loudly that he did not notice when the door slid open. A hand on his shoulder startled him so that he jumped into a fighting stance. After a moment, he realized his cousin had returned, with the Hokage en tow.

The woman raised an eyebrow at the chakra that was now ignited around his hands. As he released it, and dropped his hands to his sides, he growled, "It took you long enough."

"Shut your mouth and get out, Hyuuga." The woman swept past him, setting the bag she carried onto the floor.

"Like hell I'm leaving. She's my wife." His eyes narrowed, showing his irritation and defiance.

"Hanabi, please escort this excessively distraught husband out of the room. If he resists, you have my permission to use any means necessary to restrain his stubborn ass." Tsunade did not look up from her work, which she had already begun, pulling several medical implements from her bag. Neji growled curses under his breath, but allowed himself to be led away. Hanabi revealed no emotion, and he followed her all the way to the meditation garden. She seated herself in her favorite place, which was under a gnarled dwarf pine, atop a roughly flat rock.

"Sit." Her voice came out as flat as her expression. He had no choice but to obey. "Neji," she began, "I traced her path from the porch." Giving a small nod, Neji motioned for her to continue, not really sure where she was leading. "There were two large pools of vomit along the dirt path in the orchard." He opened his mouth to ask any number of questions, but she forestalled them with a hand raised slightly from her folded knee. "I think that you are not justified in your fears for her safety. There was no blood present."

He was, in a way, relieved at that. But that didn't really mean anything. There were still innumerable things that could be wrong with Hinata. Vomiting could be induced by several different groups of poisons, as well as other toxins that took _time_ to identify. Panic began to rise in his chest as he thought of how many of those poisons could kill within less time than it took to make a positive identification. His eyes began darting around the garden, trying to find anything that could reassure him, and found nothing. "If she dies—"

"She is not going to die." Tsunade's voice came from behind him, and he whirled around, kicking up a small amount of dirt.

Hanabi intoned, "That was quick."

The blonde woman crossed her arms under her significant bosom. "Well. I had my suspicions earlier when you told me about her vomiting." Brown eyes turned from his cousin to Neji. "There is nothing for you to get all worked up about. Hinata is going to be fine, provided that she is well cared for, and does not exert herself in coming months." Neji blinked in confusion. None of this was really sinking in, other than the fact that Hinata was not in danger. Her frown took him by surprise. "Some genius _you_ are."

"What?" He asked, still confused.

The bland look he got from the woman was actually starting to annoy him. She gave a sigh, and then said, "Hinata is pregnant."

Hanabi snorted. "Yeah, well. Not that big of a surprise." What was that supposed to mean? He turned a questioning eye to his cousin, who only raised an eyebrow at him and said, "You two have more sex than anyone else I know." He ignored this comment.

Instead, he looked back to the Hokage. "Tell me more."

* * *

Hinata glared virulently at the bowl in front of her, then even harder at the basin that was placed on the other side of the bed. The bowl was full of porridge, which was the only kind of food she could keep in her stomach. The basin was for when even that didn't stay in. A knock came at the door. "Come in," she said quietly, trying not to be angry any more than was absolutely necessary.

The quiet sliding of the door brought her eyes to find Neji as he slipped into the room. He had been barred from entering while her aunts and other female relatives fawned over her and made her life miserable for most of the day. Finally, it had been only with the threat of violence that Hanabi got them out. As she looked at him now, she thought he looked altogether too happy. It had been weeks since he had been himself when they were alone. His demeanor had suffered a heavy blow that one night, and Hinata's mind had begun to make certain connections that were only logical, but were not pleasant.

Dealing with this new version of her husband was difficult. He was quick to anger, and showed his remorse for such sentiment far too easily. It seemed that a dam had opened up inside him, and it was strange to see it. From some others, like Kiba or Naruto, she would have expected it. But her husband had always been distant, aloof. It was easy to write him off as cold. Now, Hinata didn't know what to make of him. He almost seemed to be taking on some of Naruto's characteristics. That thought was brutally blocked, beaten, and shoved away. No one could ever replace Naruto. It shouldn't need to be said, not even thought of…but it happened.

The relief she saw in Neji's eyes was almost sickening. All Hinata could feel was anger. Anger at herself, and anger at him. It had to have been that night. That one night she had not taken her usual precautions…and now she was paying for it. She wasn't prepared to be a mother. How could she think to bring a child into the world, with what she was? With what any of them were…they were creatures of war. They were bringers of death, assassins, thieves and murderers. How…how could Neji look at her with that faint light of _joy_ in his eyes and pretend that it was all right to subject another living thing to the torture that was life?

Not for the first time, she wished that she had died in Naruto's place. If she had, the sun would still shine, and she wouldn't feel dead inside. It felt like the child growing within her should rot, because how could it survive with such a person to take succor from? Her eyes were dry, but she wanted to scream, to cry. Nothing she or anyone else did could bring tears any longer. She had shed every tear possible the day that Uchiha Sasuke had murdered his only friend, the only man that _she_ had ever truly loved.

It was understood by all of the personnel at the prison that she was not allowed in to see the dark-haired Sharingan user. Hinata was certain that if they were to meet, she would kill him, or die trying. Because there was nothing that could possibly justify killing someone who was the joy of so many people. Nothing could make it seem all right to murder the one person that never gave up on you…until his very last breath. Until Naruto's heart ceased to beat, his lungs to draw air, and probably longer than that, he only had eyes for Sasuke. And that, she knew, was what hurt more than anything else.

Uzumaki Naruto had loved her as a sister. He was nothing but a gentleman to her, and all other females. But…the one corner of his heart that was reserved for that more intense, passionate version of affection…that was always only for Sasuke. She looked into the pearly purple-white of Neji's eyes, seeing a fervent hope and subtle happiness, and she died just a little more inside. Why could he not see? Why was it that no one could see? How did they not understand that she was unworthy of anyone's love…below that glow that seemed to shine from within the face of a father-to-be…and the fierce possessiveness that a lover showed?

His hand covered hers, lying in her lap. "Hinata," he said quietly, "how are you feeling?"

Pulling her fingers out of his grasp, she said in a blank tone, "Nauseated."

He rested his hand on her leg, where it had fallen when she pulled away. "Hokage-sama says that is to be expected…" Hinata made a face, looking away. "Hinata please…tell me what you're thinking. You are not happy about this, I know. But what are you thinking? You cannot possibly be thinking of…doing away with it." Her stomach clenched at the way he said that.

But now that the subject had been broached, she broke it wide open. Hinata looked him in the eyes. "How can we do this?"

Her husband's smile was kind. "There are people who can help us adjust. We have family that have been through this—"

When she cut him off, her tone was quiet, but there was deadly force behind her words. "That is _not_ what I mean. We are products of the war machine, Neji. We are cogs in its workings. All we know is how to kill. How are we supposed to bring a _life_ into the world? And you know that our child will only be taught the same things we have been. Kill, steal, lie…we are not fit to be parents." Hinata watched the hope and joy die in Neji's eyes. But where she expected despair, angry determination formed. He grasped both of her hands in an iron grip.

"How dare you say that? I know that you think you are not fit to care for anyone…" His eyes fell to where his hands held hers, "I see it every day. But I also see how hurt you are, Hinata. You won't let me see you. That night…you said I hid from you. I don't hide anymore. My feelings are bare, naked before you, and yet you do not let me see yours. I love you, Hinata. I love you so much that it hurts to look at you. Why won't you let me see your pain? Let me feel it. Let me take some of it from you." She opened her mouth to stop this tirade of overly sentimental talk, but he simply did not see. He kept speaking. "It has always been my duty to protect you. You can protect your body now; I know that. But Hinata, it is your heart that is fragile…like spun glass, that could break at the slightest touch…"

He had tears in his eyes now. Hinata saw them, just barely, through his thick black lashes. The knife in her stomach turned once again, and she gripped the sheets. Her eyes blinked slowly as she watched his tears begin to stain the bedcovers a darker shade of blue. She wished she could feel the sadness that he did. Perhaps if she could, it would be possible for her to understand. If she could feel it, then maybe Hinata could…no. Feeling anything at all was dangerous. If she were to _allow_ herself to feel, then what would stop her becoming a wreck of emotion…a pile of useless, quivering mush that had no function other than to be cared for like some broken, fragile ornament?

They remained silent, opposing wills and overtaking hearts, for some time. Finally, there was a quiet knock at the door. It slid open, and Hinata glared at the intruder. Her father stood in the doorway, framed in the near-dark of the hall. His pale eyes fell onto her, and she met them head on. Hiashi flinched, almost imperceptibly. After a short moment, he had steadied himself, and entered, carrying a small bottle in his hands. It was filled with a transparent blue liquid. Upon his approach, he set the bottle on the table, and took a step back. "Hokage-sama has asked that you take this for your stomach, Hinata." She nodded. A look came over his face just then that resembled longing, and Hinata had to do her best not to stare. She had never seen that expression in her father's eyes…never directed at her. It was far too late for him to play at being a real father to her. He left the room without another word, only bowing lightly upon reaching the threshold.

* * *

The following days brought friends and acquaintances to the Hyuuga main house, and with them came noise, gifts, and many well wishes that Neji was certain only vexed Hinata the more. Neji watched as the last of them filed out of the door. But then, he saw a shadow detach itself from a corner of the hall, and it took less than a second to identify it as Aburame Shino, Hinata's old friend. The tall man approached him, bowed formally, and pulled back his hood. Still wearing his sunglasses, but obviously wishing to show respect to the future master of the house, he unbuckled the top of his coat, allowing it to hang open and reveal his face.

"Neji…may I speak with her alone?" Shino asked, his deep, rumbling voice causing Neji to feel a little bit on edge.

"Yes," he replied, "but please keep it brief. She is surely very tired." The nod he received in return was respectful, and then he was watching the door close behind him.

* * *

Hinata looked away from the small mountain of presents spilling off of the table and onto the floor to see who it was that came to bother her now. To her relief, it was Shino. "Hinata-chan…" he said in his quiet, yet constantly reassuring way, "I have come to bring congratulations from my family." She thanked him politely, and he seated himself next to her bed in a chair. "But please…I bring caution. There is something amiss."

The bottom of Hinata's stomach dropped out. "What do you mean?"

He seemed to take a long moment to formulate his reply. "I…I sent kikkaichu before me, in the night. It was only to ensure that you were safe." Hinata nodded. She knew very well how protective he could be, and how he worried for all of his friends. "You know that they can sense…and feed upon chakra. The kikkaichu brought me news of some strange chakra surrounding you. I fear…I fear that there may be something wrong."

It had taken three long days, but she had finally, after hours of Neji's tears and her sister's browbeating, accepted the fact that she would bear a child. Now, there was some kind of oddity surrounding her chakra? She could not use her Byakugan to examine the fetus, because as her grandmother explained, after the first three weeks, chakra use during pregnancy becomes erratic at best, and at worst, dangerous for the child. Hinata licked her lips. "What exactly did they find?"

Shino leaned his elbows onto his knees, bending forward toward her. His voice became even quieter than it had been. "Too much…the child puts off too much chakra."

Was that such a bad thing? Could it not mean that the baby was simply very strong? "And?"

His shrug gave her no comfort. "There is no 'and'. I believe that you must be examined, again. It is for your safety, Hinata. If the child puts off this amount of chakra _now_, think of what it will do to you in a few weeks…or in a few months. The interplay between your chakra pathways and those that must be shared by the child until it is born could cause you to burn yourself out. It might cause worse than that." His hands now gripped his knees, the worry plain in the way his mouth was etched in a thin line across his face. "There are simply too many possibilities. It might be advisable to terminate the child's existence, so that your own might continue."

Something in Hinata's stomach clenched at his suggestion. There was a watery feeling in her guts, and she thought that perhaps…perhaps he needed to leave. "I am not going to do that unless it is absolutely necessary, and sanctioned by a _qualified_ medical ninja." The tone she used came out more sharp than she planned, making it sound as if his analysis was flawed, or that she did not trust his judgment. But the words had been said, and she would not take them back. Her chin rose, lending her the appearance of defiance.

The air in the room seemed thick with tension. Suddenly, the door was opening, and Neji was striding in, laying a hand on Shino's shoulder. His fair face was drawn, a frown curving his lips. Without a word, Shino stood and left, his posture tight and his face pinched. The snap of the door on the jamb sounded sharply through the room, and Hinata continued to look at Neji. He was breathing quickly, as if he had come running. His eyes searched her face. "I felt…" dark brows drew down, his face a wash of confusion, "I felt something. He upset you. What did he say?" Hinata's eyes widened. He had felt how something resembling fear had lanced through her? How her body had tensed in apprehension when Shino made the suggestion that she do what she had thought of three days ago? She looked away from him.

Suddenly, she felt a kind of heat radiating from him. It came in swift waves, breaking over her and making her feel…angry. When she looked back up to his face, it had become a thunderhead of fury. When he turned to the door, Hinata caught his wrist. "Stop." He would have gone after Shino, and that was not what she wanted. "He was merely concerned over a…flux in the baby's chakra. He said it might hurt me."

Neji's shoulders slumped, and he was pacified.

* * *

Kiba dropped the bone, and it landed on the floor with a thud. Akamaru's head tilted curiously to one side. Shaking his head, he tried to clear his thoughts. But…was it his imagination? No. It wasn't. He'd felt a strange, inexplicable stab of _fear_. His throat was suddenly dry as if he'd been drinking sand, and the feeling spread into his mouth. Glancing around the kitchen, he saw nothing that could have triggered the irrational feeling that seemed to suffuse his entire mind. "I'm losing my grip…" He muttered in an irritated voice before he stood from the table and opened the tap into a nearby glass. Taking a long sip, he closed his eyes.

When he opened them, he took a deep breath. "What are you doing in my house, Shino?" Kiba turned, leaning against the kitchen sink. Shino stood in the door from the living room, having let himself in as he always did. He had his hood down, and the high collar of his under-jacket was unfastened. Kiba's dark eyes narrowed.

"I think we should talk." The brooding baritone of the taller man's voice always seemed to irritate Kiba in some way or another, and there was no explanation for it. Now, however, his friend's appearance seemed inextricably linked to the knife of fear that had tried to overtake his senses only a moment earlier. Taking a few steps forward, Kiba seated himself in his previous chair, and indicated one for Shino. He had a feeling that this was going to take some time.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, I know it was short, but there went another burst of inspiration and angst. And just so you guys know, I am still alive over here, though I'm not in Texas anymore. I'm in Louisiana, with my parents. Hurray for being overly educated in the middle of nowhere without a job…meh. Enough about my woes. Review. 


	4. Chapter 4: For the Restless

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**A/N:** Well. This chapter has been a few months in the making. It was difficult. But I believe that it's decently satisfying. Please read and enjoy. It's an emotional rollercoaster again...but then again, this story always has been. Don't forget to review, please.

* * *

**4: For the Restless**

Dark irises contracted, shutting out light and allowing eyes to see in the glare of sudden sun glinting from a nearby tiled rooftop. The target was simply sitting there, as if he were _waiting_ to be killed. Static crackled over the radio, and a disembodied voice spoke in his earpiece. "Have you acquired the target?"

A low growl escaped before he replied, pressing the switch at his neck, "Yes. Twenty meters north west of me. Permission to engage?" Formality. He _hated_ it. It was the bane—well, _one_ of the banes—of his existence. There were several such irritations for him at the moment. A warm, wet nose nudged at his palm. For a second, he released the button on the collar radio. "What is it, Akamaru?" The dog growled, and made a soft whine. Kiba's eyes narrowed. "Where are they?" Another whine, and an elongated, deeper growl. "Shit." He keyed the radio again. "Kakashi, we're going to have to change formation. Akamaru sniffed out four ninjas of decently high rank."

A soft oath came through the radio before the other man replied, "Understood. Fall back to my position."

Kiba looked once more at the man who was seated on a park bench, letting out a low growl of his own. "Affirmative. Breaking formation. Intercept in three minutes." During the moments it took to wind his way over rooftops and through alleyways, he thought back. How long had it been since he'd had that talk with Shino? By his count, it had been nearly six months. And that entire time, Kiba had been paired with various people…none of which he had been able to remain with for more than a few weeks.

It simply was not the same as when he had been working with Hinata. She was like an extension of him, moving at exactly the right moment, their actions in precise synchronization. It had taken nearly ten years for that relationship to develop, and every time his new partners requested transfer, he could only think that if they had given it more time…But that wasn't really true. Deep down, in the very center of his mind, Kiba understood that he did not want to partner with Hatake Kakashi, or Shiranui Genma, or anyone else.

He would rather work alone.

Solo missions at his rank were suicides. But better suicide missions than the sight of someone else in her place. It was a constant agonizing reminder of the fact that Hinata was not with him. Pain, a constant and abiding companion these days, shot through him. It was not physical. No, it was the phantom pain of having the one thing he really wanted taken from him. Nothing his parents had taught him could have prepared him for this. He had known for a long time the stories of what often happened when a member of his family had a spouse or lover die. Some waste away if they do not find someone to fill the gap, while others go slowly mad. The Inuzuka were much like their canine counterparts in many ways.

When he came to the darkened alley where Kakashi was stationed, he shoved the thoughts away. Akamaru whined nearby, and he made a dismissive gesture, wishing at times that his friend were not so very perceptive. "It's nothing," he murmured, not convincing himself, and knowing he had done nothing to fool the dog, either.

* * *

Hinata sat propped on a bank of cushions in the deep window seat that was situated nearest the main gardens. This was where she could be found much of the time, now. Neji had gone off on a mission with Lee, and was slated to return today. She thought that he would be overjoyed to hear that the baby was kicking at all of her internal organs, and that she had not felt any pains lately. With each new development, her husband seemed to become more open.

Neji had been smiling and speaking in tones that were warm, even when they weren't alone. Her grandmother had remarked on this once, saying that if he was not careful, he might even be agreeable. That was, she thought, an understatement. The man was exhibiting behavior that did not fit his character. He was happy, and Neji was _never_ happy. As she looked out over the snow-covered garden, Hinata frowned. She had never really responded well to the way things change so quickly. As of late, this seemed to happen more often than not.

Too many things were different from the way they had been. Hinata had not seen Kiba for more than six months, and when she thought of him, she had a very strange feeling. It was much the same as when she saw Neji smiling at her. This alien sensation was something like the way her stomach warmed when she had a cup of hot cocoa, while wrapped in a comfortable blanket.

Whatever it was, she could most likely blame it on the pregnancy. Just like the strange cravings she had been having. Last week, in the middle of the night, she'd woken up absolutely determined to have green tea ice cream sprinkled with bacon bits. And that is not even considering how horrified she'd been to honestly enjoy eating a pickled tofu sandwich slathered with grape jelly.

Tsunade had told her that these cravings were normal, that they would most likely disgust her on an intellectual level. But, the elder woman had also confided that to ignore them was not a good idea. The reason one craved such things as tofu and jelly sandwiches was that the baby needed something that was in those strange combinations of food. Shaking her head, Hinata returned to reading her book. What in the world a child could possibly need from green tea ice cream and bacon bits, she had no idea.

Her eyes soon began straying toward the window once again, and she began to feel restless after no more than half an hour. With a huff, she put the book down. "Auntie Chie," she said, "I'm going out."

The elderly woman gave a choked sound before saying in her papery voice, "But your husband will be coming home today. If you are not at home—"

"Then _you_ will tell him that I have gone to visit with friends, and perhaps to buy him a box of fresh manju." Her voice was edged with a hint of steel, and she fixed the old woman with a glare that promised retribution if any contradiction was offered. When Chie made no resistance, she smiled sweetly and said with a nod of her head, "Thank you, Auntie."

* * *

Hatake Kakashi was one heavy man, Kiba decided. He'd done his level best to bind up his partner's wounds, but wasn't sure it had done much good. The unconscious form slung across his shoulders was beginning to weigh heavily on the dog-nin's back. They had barely escaped with their lives. Kakashi had lost so much blood that he'd passed out when they were a day out from their home village, and had stayed that way. Akamaru stubbornly refused to go on ahead and warn the hospital, since he was worried about Kiba. The brown-haired man had sustained numerous injuries, himself, and was slowly weakening. At dawn, they re-crossed the border into Fire Country, with the dog keeping his eyes and nose open since his human counterpart was less than able to do so himself.

Kiba's vision began to blur slightly by the time the towers of Konoha appeared in the distance, rising up from the snow-sprinkled canopy of green like islands in a sea of leaves. He reached into his belt pouch and retrieved one of his last energy pills. The things always tasted like chalk, mixed with rotted fruit. But he didn't complain. As long as he could stumble through the gates, someone would get them to the hospital.

Putting on a burst of speed, he double-timed the rest of the distance to the nearest gate. This gate opened into the merchant district, where restaurants and shops sold anything from meat buns to broadcloth. A cramp in his side caused him to seize up, nearly doubling over in pain. Kiba squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the throbbing in his side, to no avail. Akamaru appeared at his right, the dog's bulk a welcome aid to keep him standing. When he opened his eyes again as the pain began to subside, he found himself in the middle of the street, in front of the little café where Chouji always used to buy them dango when he lost a bet.

He had not realized that he'd walked so far into the village, and thought it was strange that no one had yet notice his arrival. Suddenly, the sound of porcelain shattering caught his attention, and his head turned. There, standing in front of the blue noren of the café, was Hinata. Clad in a pale pink kimono, a warm woolen coat draped over her shoulders, she seemed to glow in the mid-morning light. A white teacup lay broken at her feet, and the liquid had splashed her tabi, staining the fabric a pale brown. Her eyes grew wide before she moved faster than he thought possible. "Help!" She called loudly, "Someone help! Medic to the southeast gate!"

Kiba reeled, surprised as he soon felt her hands on his face, holding his head gently as she looked into his eyes. "Are you hurt? What happened? Is he alive?" Her questions were spoken in a desperate tone, quiet and urgent, and Kiba was unable to answer. She looked frantic. Small fingers disentangled his hands from where they clutched at the fabric of Kakashi's uniform. Together, he and Hinata let the man down slowly onto the frosty dirt of the road. A man approached, obviously an off-duty medic, and began assessing Kakashi's wounds.

Another cramp attacked Kiba's left side, and he grunted, bending slightly. Hinata gripped his right arm and looped it over her shoulders, heedless of dirt, blood and grime. "You pushed yourself too hard." It was a simple statement of fact that Kiba could not deny.

Gritting his teeth, Kiba said, "Had to. Wouldn't have made it back…"

The woman's pearly eyes then turned to his canine companion as she started walking him toward the hospital. "You should have gone for help, Akamaru." The dog gave a low growl, then a bark, tail lowering slightly. "Don't give me that. You know better." Kiba stared at her, unable to fathom how she understood what Akamaru had said. When she looked at him again, Hinata had an expression in her eyes that he had not seen for a very long time. But his eyes were drawn away from hers and down very soon.

The rumors he'd heard were true. Hinata was pregnant. She looked almost ready to explode, but from the smell of her, she still had at least a month and a half to go before birth could be possible. Smell…the smell of the child was something familiar to him. Kiba took in a deep breath, his mind attempting to sort out the myriad of scents on the street, to sift out only the ones that belonged to Hinata. There was that clean, lightly flowery smell that he'd always known was a special soap she formulated herself, along with a little sweat and something that reminded him of the way a person smelled when they were afraid. But beneath that, he scented a pulse of chakra, it smelled like Hinata's, but different, as well. Partially sharp, like ozone, yet earthy and warm, it confused Kiba to no end. "When…" he began, trying to sort out all of the thoughts in his head, without really knowing what he asked.

Hinata was looking straight ahead now, her face unreadable. She said quietly, "It was that night…but I don't know if it was you, or if…it doesn't matter."

Suddenly, it all made sense. Remembering the talk he'd had with Shino, and the state Neji had been in when he came to Kiba's house to attack him…he understood. Even more than that, there was Hinata's smell. That alone was proof enough. A low growl rose in the back of his throat. "Hinata," he said around that growl, "I want you to drop me off at the hospital, and go home. You must rest."

Her brow furrowed, angry indignation edging her voice, "You have no right to order me around, Kiba."

One of his eyebrows rose as he replied in a nearly sneering tone, "I have _every_ right. You carry my child, and you _will_ take care of yourself." Hinata gasped in disbelief, but they both knew that he was right. Kiba's nose was rarely wrong. He heard his voice take on a steely edge, reminding him much of his mother. "When you have reached your home, you will send for a medic. Shizune is probably the best for the job. Have her perform whatever tests are necessary to confirm the paternity of the child, if you must. Inform Neji. By law, I am well within my rights to do anything and everything necessary to protect the life you have growing inside you."

Now Hinata's face became a thunderhead. "Now look—"

"Hinata," came a low, familiar voice from the northwest. Both Kiba and Hinata looked to the left, to find Neji, travel-worn and spattered with blood, staring placidly at them. Kiba knew better. The surface of a pond, no matter how glassy, was wont to conceal hidden currents. One dark, slender eyebrow rose, regarding the wounded man for a moment. "Kiba."

He felt Hinata shift against him as she said, "I'll be home in a while. Kiba's hurt, and needs to get to the hospital."

Neji gave a small shake of his head before moving swiftly over to them. He looped Kiba's arm over his own shoulders and gently pulled him from Hinata's grasp. "No," he murmured, "you must go home. Rest." For a long moment, she stood rooted to the spot, and Kiba watched her glance back and forth between him and her husband. Finally, she nodded. After a short farewell to them both, she turned and began walking slowly back in the direction of her home. Neji was silent for at least the first five minutes. During that time, Kiba could feel a static electricity tingle running up and down his spine. The other man was holding onto his chakra. Did he really expect some kind of attack? Kiba was very sorry to disappoint, but he was pretty sure he couldn't muster enough chakra to scratch his nose at the moment.

"Is it true?" the taller man asked finally, his voice tight, and obviously expecting the worst.

Kiba turned his head, tilting it upward. There was a tense set to Neji's jaw, and the frown he wore was not encouraging. Even if the answer were to provoke an attack, he knew better than to attempt lying to this man. "Yes." For an instant, almost white eyes squeezed shut, before opening once again, unreadable in their opaque vastness. "What will you do?"

Another long silence followed, but Kiba felt much more at ease for some reason. He had some claim over her, now.

"By our clan law," Neji said suddenly, enunciating his words slowly, carefully, "Hinata has the right to choose which of us she prefers. It is her privilege as the heir to the leadership of the clan." In that same tone, he said, "I wish I could kill you."

"I know," Kiba replied, because he really did.

"She's my _wife_, Kiba."

"And now," the dark-eyed man said softly, "She's mine, too." By the laws of _his_ clan, Hinata _was_ his wife. There were a few women in the early days of the village's history that had married several men. Clans did this to vary gene pools, or to adopt traits that were thought of as more favorable and refine their fighters. The practice had fallen out of favor since his grandmother's time, but it was not unheard of even now.

Neji stopped, chakra crackling around him in tight, regulated patterns. "I will not share her with you."

"That is not for you to decide, Neji. If Hinata cannot choose between us, then I'll just ask the Hokage. She's got final say, even in these matters. You're aware of that, surely." No matter how angry Neji was, there was no way for him to get around the fact that the other man was completely correct.

* * *

Hyuuga Neji was a very patient man. But there were some things for which he had very little tolerance. One such was being lied to. "Shizune-san," he murmured, trying to stave off a headache, "you must be mistaken. Please try again." The woman huffed slightly, looking extremely affronted, but sat down once again. Her hands came to rest on Hinata's abdomen, and she concentrated her chakra. A cool green glow surrounded the two women in the half-dark of the room. She took several moments, probing at the growing bulge in Hinata's kimono.

Finally, she stood. "I am _telling_ you, she is having _two_ babies, Neji."

Nodding, he pressed once again. "And the other issue?"

"It is just as I told you before. The two have different chakras. You could probably look for yourself." Shizune was becoming exasperated, it seemed. He supposed that it would not harm anything if he were to activate his Byakugan and look at the children. Once the chakra flowed through his retinal nerves, and he had taken the split second that was needed to focus, Neji trained his gaze on his wife's abdomen.

There they were. Two tiny, perfect little beings, suspended inside her. Looking closer, he examined the chakra and pathways of the children. One seemed to have a wild, uncontrolled edge to its energy. It felt very much like being in Kiba's presence. Then there was the other child. Slightly smaller than the other, this one had a serene glow surrounding its entire body, flowing evenly from all tenketsu. He knew the feel of this chakra, and it was strange, as if he were looking into a mirror.

"It _is_ mine," he breathed, blinking for a moment to wet his eyes. "But how—"

Shizune coughed, interrupting him. "It is not my place to be here when such topics are discussed. I am decently certain that you understand the process of conception and the notion of timing, Neji. Now, if I am quite dismissed?" He nodded for a moment, distracted by the sight of his child floating there, within Hintata's womb. The door shut behind the woman, and Neji knelt before his wife, who had been silent the entire time.

His hand reached out, almost unbidden, and caressed the soft cloth draped over her stomach. When had his fingers begun to shake? He lessened the effect of his Byakugan, and saw the features of his child. It was a little boy, with a strong nose, and though still only mostly formed, seemed to have a determined jaw. "He…he looks like me." But then his eyes strayed to the other child. This baby was a girl; her closed eyes possessing a feral sort of slant. Apart from this, the child looked very much like Hinata. "She—"

"Please," he heard her say, "don't say. I know you must hate her, Neji." Suddenly surprised, he allowed his Byakugan to slip away. When Neji looked up to meet her eyes, he was shocked to see tears streaming down her face.

"Hinata—" He reached out to her, but she shied away.

"Don't touch me!" Hinata cried, standing so quickly that Neji was forced to stagger back from the chair in which she had been seated. Her face was red and blotchy as she continued her half-controlled sobbing. "D-Don't come near me!"

Neji felt a stabbing pain in his chest, his heart beginning to beat faster. Hinata was frightened. He could feel it. It was strange that she could not feel; could not understand what he felt at the moment. Then, if she could not understand from whatever connection existed between them, perhaps he should explain. "I could never hate any child that is part of you."

Her eyes grew wide, round with shock, and this only seemed to make her cry harder. "I hate…" she began, her eyes squeezing shut, one hand groping behind her at the wall until she found it to lean on. "I hate this." Hinata slid down the wall, sitting on the floor in a heap. Her eyes opened, glaring up at him accusingly. "I _hate_ it."

"What?" He asked, "What do you hate?"

Hinata wiped at her face with her palm, and held her hand up. "_This_," she said through clenched teeth as her entire body began to shake. "I hate this. Why can't I stop it? I haven't cried in…not since…" Her breathing suddenly became ragged, increasing in speed until she let out a howling wail that pierced his ears. "No! I can't _do_ this again! No…no…" Her head shook from one side to another, as if she were trying desperately to clear it. Neji could do nothing but look on as some sort of battle raged within her. What did she mean? He reached out again, his fingers touching her cheek. Hinata flinched, but made no move away from him.

"Hinata," Neji began, his voice quiet, but firm, "I will never hate any child you have. While she is not mine," he paused slightly, steeling himself, and then began again. "While she is not mine, I give you my word that no harm will come to her."

Her voice was small when she replied, "I…you can't promise me that. She will be what she will be."

Wiping away her tears, Neji smiled gently. "I know," he said patiently, "but she is yours. And you will make her beautiful, in body and soul. No child that comes from you could be anything else." Hinata's trembling worsened until she finally collapsed into his arms, her tears soaking his shirt. Gripping handfuls of the dark fabric, she cried shaking violently. The door slid open, and one of their great-aunts stepped in, looking inquisitively at him, with a tinge of worry creasing her brow. Neji gave her a small shake of his head and jerked his chin at the doorway, indicating that this was private, and he would appreciate it if she would leave.

The older woman backed out, inclining her head respectfully. She would not speak of this to anyone. He returned his focus to Hinata. He knew what she meant when she said she had not cried in years. It had been long since Naruto's death, and all of her fear, her sadness, it had stayed locked away. Perhaps this newest fissure in her mask would break it for good, or so he hoped. He missed the Hinata that used to be. Inside her, he could feel the emotions warring with one another, and the frantic scramble for control as she tried to rein them in.

"Let it go," he whispered into her hair. "Let all of the pain go, Hinata." Shaking in a nearly uncontrollable manner, Hinata raised her head. Her eyes were rimmed in red, and swollen. "We love you," Neji murmured as he placed a hand on her belly, "We all love you. Let us take care of you, and heal you." He hoped desperately that she could be healed of her most painful wounds. The injuries she'd sustained over the years must have festered in her heart, spreading to infect every part of her. It would be up to him, and their child, to bring back the woman he'd fallen in love with all those years ago.

"What about…" her voice trailed off for a long moment. Hinata seemed unable to speak as she looked up at him, some strange kind of fear in her eyes. Finally looking away, she asked quietly, "What about Kiba?" Neji's heart felt as if it had turned to lead in his chest at the way her voice trembled. There was something deep inside her that felt different when she thought of Kiba, and for a moment he cursed the connection they shared. He did not want to feel that.

Kiba.

Yes…what _about_ Kiba? Neji would have liked nothing better than to say that Kiba would have to simply deal with the fact that Hinata was _his _wife. He would have loved to say that Kiba could take a flying leap off of the tallest mountain. But Neji knew very well that he could not. So it was with a heavy heart that he replied, "We will follow the law. I will not harm him, if that is your wish." How he wished he could kill him…to beat him until the blood flowed, and breath stopped. But as much as he hated Kiba, he could not bear the sadness in Hinata's eyes in that instant before he said those words. All he wanted was to see her smile again, like she used to. If Kiba could make that happen, then so be it.

* * *

**A/N:** Did you like? I guess there's one more chapter in me on this one. Please review, and let me know how you like it.


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